Bangkok museum marks Songkran with rituals and festivities

The event will be held alongside the Songkran fair at the museum’s Samran Mukmat Pavilion, running from Saturday to Monday (April 12–14), from 9am to 4pm daily.

Phra Kran

A key highlight is the veneration of 23 relics of the Buddha housed within a sacred container known as the Phra Kran. These relics were originally enshrined within the radiating halo of the revered Phra Phuttha Sihing Buddha image, which is currently housed in the Phutthaisawan Throne Hall at Bangkok National Museum.

The Phra Kran is a small, intricately crafted reliquary made of enamelled gold. It measures 1.2 centimetres in diameter and stands 3.5 centimetres tall.

According to the Fine Arts Department, the rare opportunity to pay homage to the Buddha’s relics is regarded as a significant act of merit-making. It is believed to bring wisdom, heightened intuition, and spiritual clarity, allowing the mind to transcend worldly distractions.

Navagraha

Also featured in the ceremony are the Navagraha, the nine celestial deities in Hindu belief that influence human fate. These include the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, along with the ascending and descending lunar nodes.

Honouring these deities is believed to usher in blessings and good fortune for the new year.

In addition to the water-pouring rituals, visitors are invited to enjoy a variety of cultural activities. These include a special exhibition at the front terrace of the Issara Winitchai Throne Hall, spinning the unique Navagraha gashapon figures, collecting commemorative stamps, and more.

For further information, please contact the museum on 0 2224 1402.